The invention relates to a method for cleaning teats of a dairy animal""s udder by controlling a robot means to carry and operate a cleaning means for cleaning said teats in succession.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for cleaning the teats of a dairy animal""s udder, comprising a cleaning means, a control unit, a robot means controlled by the control unit, a robot arm arranged on the robot means to carry and operate the cleaning means so as to clean the dairy animal""s teats in succession.
Such a method and such an apparatus are known from EP-A-0476 771.
Always when cleaning the teats it is of very great importance that hygienic aspects are taken into consideration. In the art, methods are generally based on precautions to be taken such that no infection is transferred from one animal to another.
The object of the present invention is to improve known methods and apparatus regarding the hygienic aspects. The invention has for its object to achieve an apparatus for carrying out the invented method.
This object is achieved by a method which is characterised by the steps of first cleaning one or more healthy teat(s), and then cleaning one or more teat(s) being subjected to various levels of infection.
The object has also been achieved by an apparatus which is characterised in that the control unit comprises a data storing means intended to store data regarding the healthiness of an udder quarter belonging to a teat, and a data processing unit adopted to use said data for delivering such signals to the robot means as to make the robot means first to clean one or more healthy teat(s) and then to clean one or more teat(s) indicated to be subject to various levels of infection.
In this way infection is not transferred from infected teats to healthy teats.
An embodiment of the invention includes establishing the degree of healthiness of each separate teat with reference to the level of infection. Hereby, data are obtained making it possible to arrange the teats in order of increasing level of infection.
Another embodiment of the invention anticipates that said establishment is achieved by detecting the conductivity of milk extracted at a previous milking session. Hereby, a very simple and reliable method of determining the level of infection is achieved.
Yet another embodiment comprises the step of storing data regarding the degree of healthiness of each separate teat, and using said data for determining said order of succession. Hereby, a controlled cleaning of the teats is achieved.
An alternative embodiment comprises the step of cleaning infected teats in order of increasing level of infection. Hereby, the infection level of a specific teat is not increased by being further infected from a teat having a higher level of infection.
A preferred embodiment comprises the step of cleaning said teat by means of a cleaning liquid acting as a rinsing agent. Hereby, a very gentle cleaning of the teat is realised.
Another preferred embodiment comprises the step of cleaning said teat by means of cleaning means having counter rotatable rubbing elements such as sponges, brushes or the like. Using such a device means an efficient mechanical cleaning of the teat.
Another embodiment of the invented apparatus comprises a data storing means intended to store data regarding the healthiness of an udder quarter belonging to a teat, and a data processing unit adopted to use said data for delivering such signals to the robot means as to make the robot means first to clean one or more healthy teat(s) and then to clean one or more teat(s) indicated to be subject to various levels of infection. Hereby, the risks for spreading is still more subdued.
Still another embodiment comprises sensors or detectors connected to said control means and adapted to establish the degree of healthiness of each separate teat. Preferably, the inventive apparatus comprises a conductivity measuring device for establishing the level of infection of each separate teat during a previous milking session. Hereby, data for operation of the apparatus is achieved in a very time efficient and safe way.
Another preferred embodiment anticipates that the control unit is arranged to send such signals to the robot means as to cause the robot means to clean infected teats in order of increasing level of infection. Hereby, the robot means, in the first place the robot arm, is controlled in an adequate way,